Lee Carsley aims for senior England manager role again

Lee Carsley aims to return as manager of England's senior football team. However, he is currently focused on leading the under-21 team as they prepare to defend their European Championship title. Carsley previously served as interim manager of the senior team after Euro 2024. He helped the team top their Nations League group before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel. Now, he is back with the under-21s, a group he led to their first European title in 2023. The finals for this year will take place in Slovakia in June. While Carsley hopes to manage the senior team again, he is content in his current role. He emphasized the importance of earning his way back to that position. “I feel happy and trusted doing what I’m doing,” he said. Carsley has been reflecting on his experience with the senior team. He mentioned he needs to improve how he handles the media. Despite some challenges, Carsley enjoyed his time as interim manager and felt privileged to be in that role. The under-21 squad has changed since their 2023 victory. Only four players from that team remain eligible. Carsley has included several talented young players from the under-19 team, like Liam Delap and Alex Scott. Ashley Cole, Carsley’s assistant, recently joined the Football Association's Hall of Fame. He believes that their current squad has the potential to follow in the footsteps of past successes. “We want to continue that legacy,” Cole said. Delap is expected to lead the attack against France in their upcoming friendly this Friday. He spoke about his experience training with the senior squad, calling it incredible. “They let you be yourself in a structured way,” he added.